


In the Eye of the Beholder

by hypermoyashi



Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alcohol, Fluff, Not Beta Read, One-Shot, Other, inspired by that one pretty CE of them, they/them Enkidu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25511020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypermoyashi/pseuds/hypermoyashi
Summary: They found beauty in the simplicity of creatures, in the flowing waters of quiet streams, and in the soft endurance of nature’s towering trees. On these things, Enkidu agreed with humanity. But there were many other things they failed to grasp.Perhaps this was their weakness, but... They knew they found at least one thing beautiful, above all else.
Relationships: Enkidu | False Lancer/Gilgamesh | Archer
Comments: 12
Kudos: 79





	In the Eye of the Beholder

**Author's Note:**

> I finally managed to pull both Enkidu and Caster!Gilgamesh in game so I wrote some Gilkidu fluff to celebrate

Enkidu flicked their earring, the gold glinting in the mirror. The color matched their eyes, and they knew the holes punched in their lobes to accommodate the jewelry would close with a mere thought. Still… the weight on their ears was foreign.

“Well? Do they please you?”

Enkidu glanced over their shoulder, catching sight of the King of Heroes himself lounging on a sofa on the other side of the room.

When they answered, they did so honestly. “I fail to see the point. How is this any different from my regular clothes?”

“Have you no sense of beauty? Of style?” Gilgamesh waved a hand and took another swing from the jar of alcohol. “Any intelligent being can recognize the value of aesthetics. If nothing else, the change is pleasing to the eye.”

“Is that so?” Enkidu peered back at themself in the mirror. The clothes were tighter and darker than their normal affair, baring more of their skin to the elements, and there was enough gold adorning them to rival the picture of the King himself. They would admit it was different, but they failed to see how it was beautiful.

They found beauty in the simplicity of creatures, in the flowing waters of quiet streams, and in the soft endurance of nature’s towering trees. To them, this was… perhaps just another aspect of humanity they failed to grasp.

Gilgamesh said nothing else on the matter, so Enkidu only shrugged and joined him on the sofa. As the outfit was a request from Gilgamesh, they would humor him, incomprehensible as it was.

“Finery is wasted on you, isn’t it?” Gilgamesh sighed, his eyes following them as they sat next to him.

They only shrugged. Whether it was gold or dirt made no difference to Enkidu—they were simply materials with differing properties birthed from the Earth’s flesh, just as they were. The one who cared about their appearance and supposed value was Gilgamesh.

“If it pleases my king,” they said with a teasing lilt, “then it is not a waste. Don’t you think?”

Gilgamesh snorted. “Well spoken, or so I would say if I thought you were serious.”

“Awwww, but Gil,” they laughed, their grin widening. Despite their words being in jest, the way the tips of Gilgamesh’s ear turned red told them he’d still found the words pleasing.

And, in a way, they had been somewhat serious. Even if they didn’t particularly care for or understand something, if it made Gilgamesh happy, then they would be all too eager to agree.

His smile… Now that was something Enkidu found beautiful.

At their voice, Gilgamesh only rolled his eyes, a gesture of comfort and familiarity for him. Still, it brought a feral smile to their features. “Are you dismissing me, Gil?”

“Only when you speak empty words.”

“My words are never empty when it comes to teasing you,” they proclaimed.

“Oh? Is that so?” Gilgamesh’s lips spread into a smile, filling Enkidu’s chest for more of a feeling they couldn’t put into words. They always felt this way next to him, and they never wanted it to end. As illogical as that was. “For just teasing words that should serve no logical purpose, you are awfully enthusiastic. That is unlike you. I thought everything was about efficiency with you.”

Enkidu paused. “...Perhaps in battle, and in important matters, it is better to cut to the heart of the matter rather than be wasteful with excess words that serve no purpose. But since there is nothing taking precedence over our discussion, and our words need not be for any particular purpose, then it makes no difference. Does it?”

“You’re asking me? Very well, then. I shall inform you.” Gilgamesh sat up and crossed his arms in that way he always did when he was about to get pompous. At the very least, he hadn’t referred to Enkidu as a ‘mongrel,’ a habit they’d been trying to break him of. Still, they couldn’t help but roll their eyes, a pantomime of his earlier reaction. They didn’t exactly need to sit through one of his lectures.

Then, an idea popped into their head of how to shut him up.

It was an utterly illogical and pointless thing to do, but they found themself reaching for a pillow regardless. Using transfiguration, they shifted some of their power into their strength and threw it at his head.

Gilgamesh froze, obviously unprepared for the attack. Even if the projectile was only a harmless pillow, Enkidu’s strength was behind it, causing the king to stagger back.

It fell uselessly to the ground, and Gilgamesh’s eyebrow twitched as his eyes fell to Enkidu. A smile Enkidu could tell wasn’t a smile marred his otherwise handsome features.

Enkidu smiled in return, calm and unapologetic.

“Very well,” he said. “If you have no desire to listen to my words and would rather express yourself through combat, then so be it. I will oblige you.”

Enkidu blinked. From the seriousness of Gilgamesh’s tone, they assumed he wanted to fight for real, a thing he had stated they should avoid within the palace lest they destroy it.

When he picked up another pillow and chucked it right back at them, they couldn’t help but laugh.

They soon ran out of pillows, and instead, they both wound up on the floor trying to pin one another down. It wasn’t by any means the serious fight Enkidu had been expecting, nor was it as thrilling as one, but it was its own kind of enjoyable.

Enkidu tried to move with all the efficiency they were normally so proud of, but obviously, Gilgamesh wasn’t paying a bit of head to tactics as he tried to grab and push Enkidu down in the most nonsensical of ways. With an opponent acting without logic, it was difficult for Enkidu to respond with any kind of logic. Gilgamesh wound up determining the pacing of the ‘battle.’

Still, they managed to pin both Gilgamesh’s arms at his side, preventing the king from moving or throwing them off. They grinned. “Do you admit defeat, Gil?”

“Perhaps I let you win,” Gilgamesh stated, much to Enkidu’s confusion. He wore a self-satisfied smirk, so they could only assume he was telling the truth.

They raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And why would the proud king subject himself to such a humiliation?”

“It is not a humiliation if it is you. Besides, the view pleases me.”

Enkidu shifted, their hair tumbling over a shoulder to brush against Gilgamesh’s side. His eyes were clear and focused, and they reflected only Enkidu in all their current finery.

“So this is the reason you asked me to wear these,” they said. They thought about getting off of him—they were unaware of many human customs and traditions, but they were fairly certain the humans wouldn’t appreciate their king being needlessly pinned to the ground—but something stopped them.

Perhaps it was the lightness in their chest, or the joy dancing in Gilgamesh’s eyes. Or the beauty of his smile.

They doubted anyone else in all of Mesopotamia, human or otherwise, would be allowed this view.

“I cannot deny it. Your appearance like this is pleasing.”

They smiled, soft and hard at once. “I see… In that case, perhaps you should offer me more clothes. It makes no difference to me.”

“Consider it done.”

They released Gilgamesh’s arms, about to finally let him up, only to pause as he laced his fingers in their hair. It had pooled to either side of them, allowing for plenty to grasp.

Oh? Was Gilgamesh in _that_ sort of mood?

Their question must have shone in their eyes, because Gilgamesh only laughed and shifted upwards without removing Enkidu from his person. They found themself sitting in his lap, their noses nearly brushing against one another and their breath mingling in the air between them.

Gilgamesh was very warm. He always was.

They leaned in, a silent question. But Gilgamesh only continued to play with their hair.

“Have you considered braiding it? I am sure Siduri would love to teach you if you feel so inclined,” Gilgamesh said.

Enkidu hummed. “Only you would put something so mundane on the plate of a woman so busy. She has far more important things to worry about, such as running a kingdom for an apathetic king.”

“Are you insulting me?” Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow, but his tone wasn’t sharp. Had it been anyone else, he would have struck them down on the spot for such words. “Uruk is mine to do as I see fit with, as I am king. If I would take on all the work in the kingdom, then I would leave nothing for my retainers, and my people would become lazy.”

“This sounds like an excuse. When was the last time you held public forums?”

“Are you lecturing me, Enkidu? Truly?” His words were incredulous, but his lips were quirked in a way that told Enkidu he found it amusing more than anything.

“Well, you are listening, are you not?”

Gilgamesh snorted. “I suppose I am.” As he spoke, he started weaving a strand of Enkidu’s hair, frowning the whole time. The strands kept coming loose as Enkidu followed the movements.

“Are you having difficulties?” Enkidu asked, realizing Gilgamesh was trying to braid their hair. He frowned and fell silent at their words, still intent on trying to fix their hair.

Now that they were paying attention and this close to him… His cheeks were flushed, ever so slightly. It was surprising to see, as the blood of the gods ran strong through his veins, but it wasn’t impossible for him to grow inebriated. It was more a testament to how much he must have drank before Enkidu had joined him than anything.

They poked his cheek, only for him to swat their hand away. “Gil, are you drunk?”

“Nonsense.” Despite his denial, his fingers fumbled and let the strands of Enkidu’s long hair slip through them. He huffed, a clear sign of frustration, before taking another lock into his grasp. Gilgamesh was well spoken even when under the influence, but his movements always betrayed him.

Despite themself, they could only chuckle. “Gil, how about lying down?”

“Do not belittle me.”

“I am not,” Enkidu insisted. Still, Gilgamesh didn’t seem to be listening to them, so they huffed and pulled themself up from his lap.

He raised an eyebrow, his eyes following Enkidu’s movements as they offered him a hand. Without a word, he grasped their hand and allowed himself to be hauled to his feet. He didn’t try to break their contact, his hand warm in theirs.

They smiled, and their chest felt light. Enkidu knew he would allow this with no one else, would allow no one else to influence any of his actions. With a soft tug, they led him towards his bedroom, a lavish space with decor that could rival even the temples of the gods.

Gilgamesh finally strode past them, ending up with him in the lead. He sat at the edge of the bed and tugged Enkidu down with him. He released their hand, and they only allowed themself a moment to miss its warmth.

“Do you not intend to rest?” Enkidu asked.

“Can I not continue to enjoy the view while I rest?” he shot back. “You should approve. I am completing the tasks simultaneously, thus adhering to the sense of ‘efficiency’ you are so fond of.”

They could only roll their eyes. It wasn’t as though that was the _only_ thing they cared for. “You are impossible. Just lay down, you pompous king.”

“Ho? You are ordering me now? I never thought the self-described weapon of the gods would grow so bold,” Gilgamesh laughed. As always, had it been anyone else to insult him, he would’ve flown into a rage on the spot. Enkidu wondered why they were always the exception, but they supposed he simply found it amusing that one of his many treasures would be capable of or have the gall to backtalk him. “Why not join me in drink?”

“Have you not already drank enough by yourself?” they asked, incredulous. For him to even be tipsy, he must have gotten a healthy head start. “Besides, it will accomplish nothing. You know this.”

“It is unfortunate that alcohol has no effect on you, but can you not just enjoy the taste? I know you’re capable of this.”

“Gil, the alcohol is in the other room.”

“Then summon Siduri to fetch it.”

Enkidu grabbed the nearest pillow and shoved it straight into Gilgamesh’s face. “You need to stop throwing such tasks on her.”

“What is with you and pillows today?” Gilgamesh grasped the pillow and tossed it back at Enkidu, though it only bounced harmlessly off of them. The king hardly looked phased. “Fine, then.”

The space behind him rippled, a gold shine filling the room. The Gate of Babylon opened behind Gilgamesh, and he extended a hand to allow two ale filled cups to fall into it. He held one out for Enkidu, which they accepted with a sigh.

The alcohol burned down their throat, but they couldn’t deny the truth of Gilgamesh’s earlier words. When they’d first tasted Uruk’s ale, the sensations were so divine that they drank enough to kill any normal human ten times over. They’d quickly learned to refrain because Gilgamesh had nearly poisoned himself trying to outdrink them at one point, but they still found the sensation of tasting food and drink pleasant (even if it served them no purpose).

“Well? How is it?”

“Good,” Enkidu replied simply, as they always did. From Gilgamesh’s frown, they could only assume this was some sort of rare alcohol, and their words had failed to praise it as such.

He’d learned, however, that there was no point in commenting on it. He drank his own cup at a leisurely pace, savoring it where Enkidu had simply consumed. When it was empty, a golden portal opened for him to simply drop the cup back into.

Enkidu raised an eyebrow. “Are you planning on stopping?”

“You told me to rest,” he said, and then proceeded to drape himself over Enkidu. Arms around their neck, head buried in their shoulder—they could only sigh.

“Gil… You can’t sleep sitting up.” They were sure he wasn’t _this_ drunk, which meant he must be playing it up. Even knowing this, they were only fondly exasperated.

“I am Gilgamesh, King of Heroes. I rest how I want.”

Enkidu rolled their eyes. Jewelry chiming as they moved, they pulled the both of them further onto the bed, and Gilgamesh allowed it with little complaint. In fact, his grip on Enkidu remained iron like, refusing to allow even a hand’s width of space to open up between them, which made it all the easier to drag him along. Finally, when they laid down, Gilgamesh followed, his head pillowed on their chest.

“Do you have any complaints, my king?”

“None, for now.”

Sure enough, Gilgamesh’s eyes slid shut, a sure sign the king would soon fall asleep. Enkidu ran their fingers through his hair once before settling in themself.

They didn’t need to sleep, or even need rest really, but… It wasn’t impossible. Unnecessary, yes, but so many things were when it came to Gilgamesh. Enkidu had long abandoned their ideal of true efficiency, because something far more beautiful had presented itself to them.

With a smile, they watched as Gilgamesh fell asleep. Now this… If Gilgamesh were to say this moment, and all the little moments like it, were more valuable and more beautiful than the whole of his treasury, then Enkidu would agree. With their whole heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Please feel free to talk to me about Fate characters, I love them so much ;~; I have a handy dandy new writing [discord server](https://discord.gg/VPjncx4)!


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